TODAY, I share a mid-month Place of Pause (PoP) about “Starving … & Speaking” (check out the video and PDF links below) in which I share about a time of struggle in my life over 2 decades ago in which I nearly died from my struggles with addiction – and invite YOU to tend to and care for your body AND to freely speak about your own moments of struggle so you can BE bold, BE brave, and BE YOU.

**Before we dive into our PoP, a note to nudge you to make sure you scroll down to the bottom of this note for a virtual movie night you can join from anywhere in the world with our friends at Casa de Paz.**

First, BE Still. Surrender.
Take whatever is hard,
whatever worries you carry,
whatever thoughts that are fluttering,
and exhale—big.

Imagine that you are breathing them out and away,
that you are inhaling
peace,
softness,
soul care,
and tender love.
BE held in tender love.

A Blessing.
Fan the flame of your life … of your story.
When you do,
the darkness of the past
or even current challenges
are less scary and less palpable.
There is hope, my friend,
in speaking what is true,
in shining the light on these dark places.

Ponder. Do people or does the culture around you diminish or devalue you physically? Might you start a new conversation among those close to you about the value, dignity, and worth of our bodies? Do you need to increase your sense of power and security when it comes to your physical self … do you need others to support you in this? This is a challenge for our human family around the globe, to be sure. Regardless of where we live, how we live, or what we have or don’t have, it can be a matter of life and death for many.

Engage. Do one thing today to care for your body anew. Get more rest, move more or differently, drink more water, eat whole and healthy foods … maybe frolic and play a bit, just for the fun of it.

As a FRAMEWORK for these PoPs, I’m using my book, Soulfully Ablaze: A 40-Day Journey to Light Up Your Life (And the World). For a guided Place of Pause (PoP), check out this PDF reading, video below about today’s PoP, or the complete video series (all are free) of 10-minute PoPs.

WHY: Given the state of our world – the Corona virus pandemic, school and work closures, challenges to global markets and personal paychecks – I believe it is vital for us to take a few moments to BE still and to pause. These days, more than ever, there has been much clamoring for our attention 24-7 with LOUD, FEAR-based, PANIC-inducing messages – but let’s practice peace, together, amidst these stormy days. I share these PoPs so you can FILL UP with peace and navigate this wild and crazy season with strength and courage.

This beautyFULL online platform BRIDGES “social or physical distancing” with the reality that community and connection is vital to our sense of wellness. Not only are we better, together, but dare I say that our lives depend on it now more than ever?

And, before we wrap up… Our dear friends at Casa de Paz are hosting monthly “Immigration Movie Nights”. Beginning this month, they will choose a different immigration-related film. You’ll watch it on your own at a time that is convenient for you, and then on the last Thursday of the month, all are welcome to join and hang out virtually via Zoom to discuss it together.

Details. Monthly on the last Thursday of the month | 7pm – 8pm MST | Film discussion via Zoom | Click here to RSVP and receive the Zoom link

February’s Movie. We will watch and discuss “La Jaula de Oro” (2013) [“The Golden Cage”]. It is available on Amazon Prime, Sling, Google Play movies, and other sites for approximately $4. It is the story of 3 Guatemalan teenagers as they journey north to the US.

I love and trust the Casa de Paz’s founder, Sarah Jackson, with all my heart. Whether hearing about “Immigration Movie Nights” draws you in with an existing passion and fire for justice or is a new notion to you, trust me: You can count on Sarah and her team to create a conversation with great love, respect, and an opportunity to learn (*together!*) that may just ignite something brand new in you.

OK, my dear friend – will leave it here, for now.
My heart and prayers are with you.

You are loved.
You belong.
We belong to each other.
Let’s standTALL together and light up the world!

xo, -Sarah DT ❤️